James Merlino, MD

As Chief Experience Officer for Cleveland Clinic since July 2009, Dr. Jim Merlino has been working on several initiatives to ensure that all aspects of the patient experience meet the highest standards.

Additionally, Dr. Merlino is leading efforts to positively impact employee experience to ensure that employees are engaged and satisfied, because positive employee engagement positively influences patient experience.

Dr. Merlino also is the Vice Chairman of the Digestive Disease Institute and a staff colorectal surgeon, specializing in the treatment of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and minimally invasive surgery. He is certified by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery and the American Board of General Surgery and is a fellow of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Merlino received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland. He completed his fellowship training at Cleveland Clinic and received the Clinical Fellow of the Year award in 2005. He completed his residency training at University Hospitals of Cleveland and his undergraduate studies in business administration at Baldwin Wallace University, Cleveland.

The author and co-author of numerous articles in medical and peer-reviewed scientific journals, Dr. Merlino’s research focuses on postoperative ileus, screening for colon and rectal cancer, and the treatment of intra-abdominal infections.